Princess
by Sandra Fingerut
Summary: Does Harry think of Narcissa as an alternative mother?


This is a fan fiction that spans several years and piece by piece from both the books and the movie. All the characters are the property of J.K. Rowling. Thank you for letting me play with your toys.

Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, Narcissa Malfoy sighed. Having heard her husband planning on slipping an old diary of the Dark Lord's 16 year old self into Ginny Weasley's cauldron at the bookstore as the children were shopping for their new semester's books.

She had argued bitterly with Lucius over fighting children, "Once they were over 17", she said as legal adults, that's one thing, but they're still babies!" That was how she came to her decision. She would send Doby, her house-elf and personal slave, knowing the probability that the Potter boy would probably free the opinionated elf.

SEVERAL YEARS LATER

Harry was going to watch his first Quidditch World Cup match between Bulgaria and Ireland. He kept looking about him like a kid in a candy store as the Weasleys set up their tent. He couldn't believe he was actually here. Never had he seen such a crowd. And all witches and wizards! Since the "zoo incident" he never got to go on such excursions. It was his first time being introduced to Mrs. Malfoy when he ran into Draco with both his parents instead of just the boy's father.

Harry found Mrs. Malfoy to be quite attractive other than she looked like she was smelling something really foul. He also felt something else tugging at the back of his mind. He turned away so that she wouldn't see the puzzled look on his face. He was sharing some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans with Ron Weasley, his best mate, when he remembered a question Ron had asked a couple years ago. He had asked, "Who sent Doby?" "House-elfs", he told Harry, "Are not able to do things or go places on their own unless they are free elfs and Doby was not." Suddenly it hit Harry like a thunderbolt. Narcissa sent him! He saw how Narcissa was around the children here, even those that were muggle-born. He just knew that although she may hate his blood, his parents, and everything he'd come to believe in, he was not 17 and therefore not an adult in her eyes.

ONE YEAR LATER

"Don't go in there, Harry", warned Dumbledore. Harry turned away from the door to the school's hospital wing and looked up at Dumbledore with pained eyes.

"I know how you're feeling, but right now Narcissa won't be in a very receptive mood. Not to say you haven't learned from experience that this family reacts shooting curses first". Dumbledore laid his hand on Harry's shoulder, "No matter the intentions…" Harry, walked back towards the Gryffindor common room , head down, kicking the toes of his shoes on the floor as he walked, desperately trying to think of ways to make amends, especially now that he realized the truth. He dreamed of the unbreakable vow because Voldemort wanted him aware of what it meant.

Back in the Gryffindor common room after having disposed of the offensive potions book that contained that awful spell, Harry was alone with Ron and Hermione.

Hermione spoke first, "Do you still believe Draco is a deatheater…I mean considering how easily you beat him?"

Harry replied forcefully, "I know he is. Not because he's as good as Voldemort has led him to believe he is. But as a suicide mission… a sacrificial offering, to test his mother's loyalty. Will she allow him to die trying something he's clearly incapable of doing or will she do like my mother and get in-between him and Voldemort figuratively saying over my dead body".

Both Ron and Hermione stared at Harry with the same question in their eyes. Why?

Seeing their looks, Harry clarified the matter by saying that Ron had clued him in at the world cup.

"Me"? squeaked an astonished Ron while Hermione just looked curiously at Harry… waiting for him to elaborate.

Dobby", said Harry simply.

"Ron said House-elfs had no free will…they needed orders…even to be granted freedom". Harry paused, letting the information sink in before he continued, "Ginny was 11… I was 12 at the time of the chamber of secrets incident. You were both at the Quidditch World Cup. You both saw how she was around children, even the MUGGLE children who wandered into our encampment despite the muggle repelling charms. She politely, "motherly" led the back to where they were supposed to be. She is a mother first. She wouldn't fight a child…any child. Not even me. She sent Dobby. I'm sure of it! She's the one Voldemort is after. He's just using Draco.

Ron and Hermione both showed surprise on the faces, but both were certain Harry was right. Finally Hermione spoke, "I'm sure your right, but what do we do now"?

"I've an idea", Harry shakily answered, "but I'll need Dobby's help". The former house-elf appeared as if had been listening, simply smiled and answered, "Anything for Harry Potter".

"Is Harry Potter thinking about "releasing" Lucius Malfoy from Azkaban?, asked the former house elf although he already knew the answer already.

"Narcissa Malfoy is in danger", Harry told the gentle little elf. "She sent you to me , didn't she".

Doby only smiled bashfully and bowed his head slightly, but neither confirmed or denied what he knew Harry was already quite sure of.

"Take my hand, Harry Potter", said the elf and the two dissaperated.

In less than the blink of an eye they were standing at the gates of the imposing edifice known to wizards everywhere as Azkaban Prison.

As the two approached the gate, down swooped several dementors. Harry, wand already out and at the ready shouted the incantation, "Expecto Petronum", repelling the dementors as they were approached by a human guard that asked him to surrender his wand prior to entering. Harry said to the guard that the dementors have taken an "interest in him". The guard replied with a finger pointed at Doby, "You have a house- elf …he'll protect you."

Entering the prison, Harry looked all around him, awed at the size of the structure. The high vaulted ceilings, the drab colorless walls that appeared to be both thick and thin at the same time. He requested of the guard ascorting them to be allowed to visit with Lucius Malfoy.

Continuing to looked both here and there as he and a nervous Doby followed the guard, they were brought to a small room that looked similar to the ones that Harry had seen when peeking at assorted T.V. programs viewed by his cousin Dudley until he ended up being caught.

Harry sat on one side of the bullet (or in this case) spell-proof glass, as a curious Lucius Malfoy was escorted in. Taking his seat Mr. Malfoy gave Harry a quizzical albeit sneering look.

"Come to gloat, Potter?!", questioned Malfoy's stentorian voice tinge with curiosity.

"I'm trying to fix an incredibly stupid mistake on my part—I threw the book into a place where it will be lost forever", Harry said with more bravado than he felt. "You once said that I should learn the difference between dreams and reality, so you should be the first to realize if I am dreaming that Narcissa is in dager from him…then she is! Besides you know she would make something as serious as an unbreakable vow for anything less than the protection of Draco's life." Lucius eyebrows rose as his heart jumped into his throat. Harry continuing, "Draco wants to make daddy proud and therefore thinks Voldemort wants him because he's gifted, rather than a sacrifice to test Narcissa's loyalty and obviously Voldemort was hoping I'd see a parallel between her protecting her only son with her life and my mother. Sensing some skepticism on the elder Malfoy's part, Harry decided the way to hammer home his request was to say with hand extended as he had seen Snape do in his dream, "I will make an unbreakable bond with you if that's what it'll take for you to help Narcissa!"

Lucius's eyebrows rose sharply and he began to stand as if he needed to rise in order to think properly. He slowly sat back down stroking the bottom of his chin and asked softly, "What do you propose?" The little elf smiled, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers. A surprised Lucius was now seated on the other side of the glass, looking at himself! He was going to walk out of here as if he were Harry Potter!

"You know more magic than Draco and myself combined", the man in the boys body acknowledged this with a nod. "She needs you…go to her." Doby said quietly, "I'll be back for you in 10 seconds."

Draco lay in the hospital sleeping when Narcissa arrived both harried and hysterical. Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey, as well as Professor McGonagal, head of Gryffindor House and Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin House were at the boy bedside. She was livid when she demanded that the Headmaster, Dumbledore, should expel Harry Potter for trying to kill her son. Before Dumbledore had the chance to say anything, Draco opened his eyes and said "NO" in the strongest voice he could muster. All except Madame Pomfrey, who had already walked away to attend her other charges stared at the boy. The boy, who was as white as the sheets he lay in repeated "NO" a little stronger. "I could still hear somewhat as Professor Snape was healing me." Draco stopped for a breath. "Potter said that I did not appreciate the fact that I had a mother." Narcissa stepped back stunned and sat in the chair Professor Snape slid behind her. Narcissa was struck dumb, this fight was over her! Just when she thought she couldn't be surprised further, in strode her husband. He looked as if he'd age a year for each day he was in prison. "What…how…", she stammered in surprise as she launched herself into his arms. "I'm as stunned as you", he said. "More so perhaps." "Doby came to me a short while ago with Harry Potter". "He told me of the fight as well as an unbreakable vow. I was stunned. He told me if he knew about the unbreakable vow … then obviously the dark lord did as well. He also said if he suspected that it was you who sent Doby to protect him when he was only 12… so did the dark lord…and since the dark lord doesn't understand love, then of course he needed to test your loyalty to him. This quest he sent Draco on (Potter does not know what it is) is obviously a suicide mission to see whether you would sacrifice Draco or not. I was asked to protect you", he told his wife." He knows once he has turned 17, we will be on opposing sides of a war, but it does not seem to matter to him. As long as your safe. It appears even our enemies' love you."

All were frightened. Severus as well as Dumbledore now realized why Draco, a mediocre student at best, was chosen for the task of killing Dumbledore. It was to test Narcissa. Would she allow her only son to be sacrificed to the Dark Lord to prove her loyalty? Narcissa was the Princess in the tower in Harry's mind during his last occumlency lesson!

"By putting herself in a position to be killed to protect her only son, Lady Narcissa has reached apparently reached Potter on a level that Lord Voldemort could not", drawled Professor Snape.

Clearly Harry would not have Doby bring him before you, Lucius, if he did not see the parallel between Narcissa's act of placing herself between the Dark Lord's wishes and Lily Potter's sacrificing her life for him, stated Dumbledore as tears threatened to spill from Narciossa's eyes. Lucius in one of his rare moments of tenderness put his arm about his wife as they looked down at their son in his hospital bed.

Dumbledore and Severus Snape shared a look as they realized that there was no further need for the occumlency lessons. Voldemort knew!


End file.
